Rafflesia
Rafflesia arnoldii INTRO: The world's biggest natural flower. The arnoldii is the largest of the species. The pugnant smell the flower produces has earned it the name "Corpse Flower". Although some other plants may be considered larger, they are usually in clusters, so the rafflesia wins out in terms of individual size. Physical Properties The body of the Rafflesia consists of fibrous networks stemming from the tissues of a Tetrastigma vine root, which it leeches from. It procudes no stems, roots or leaves, and does not store chlorophyll. The Rafflesia is only visible at the moment of reproduction, where it resembles a fat cabbage. This "bud" punctures it's host, and after approximately 9 months, will unfurl to reveal a five petaled flower, complete with stamen and pistils, which further develop into seeded fruits. The female variant of the Rafflesia is very rare. These flowers sit directly on the forest floor, and can weigh up to 10 kilograms, and have a diameter of over a metre. This genus of flowers is characteristically repulsive due to it's smell, hence the name "Corpse Flower". This is used to attract the flies, which it uses to pollinate itself. The core of the flower contains many spikes, whose usage is still as of yet unkown. The fruits are around 15cm in diamater, and produce massive amounts of seeds, numbering in the thousands. Distribution and Habitat All species of the Rafflesia are found only in the jungles of Southeast Asia. Sir Raffles discovered them in Sumatra, promptly named the ''Rafflesia arnoldii ''in honor, Dr. Joseph Arnold. All of the Rafflesia flowers have been found solely in Indonesia, on the Sumatran and Javan islands, and in Malysia, within the states of Sabah and Sarawak. The Rafflesia can be found at altitudes between 500 and 700 meters in the forests of Borneo, Sumatra and Java. Within these tropical rainforests, the climate is typically warm and humid, with humidity reaching high levels at night. Life Cycle and Reproduction The only visible part of the Rafflesia's life cycle is during it's reproduction. A tirny bud forms on the outside of the vine's roots/stem, which changes into a cabbage like structure over the course of a year. Within is a spiked disk, to which there are eaither stigma or stamens. The odor attracts insects to pollinate the plants. Pollination is thought to be rare for a number of reasons. Most of the flowers are unisex, and to have successfull pollination, the plants have to be in close quarters with one another, which is rare in most cases. Even if they are close by, their pollination and maturing periods might be too far apart for anything to occur. This pollination period only lasts a week at most. The fruit produced by the Rafflesia is filled with smooth flesh and thousands of seeds, which attract small mammals, who then distribute these seeds. Conservation Status All of the known species of Rafflesia are either threatened or endangered. It is a "Totally Protected Plant" by law in Sarawak, but anywhere else in Malaysia is fair game if it is not within one of the National/State Parks. Because so little is known about them, Rafflesias are very hard to protect and find conservation methods for. Rafflesias are symbolic in the sense that they represent fertility, and people are encouraged to save the flowers on their private property. However, as a result of tradition, where pregnant mothers consume the seeds, the lifeline of the Rafflesias are dwindling. Also, deforestation is another large loss in that Rafflesias are forest bound. Finding these flowers is difficult, let alone protecting them. Video: thumb|300px|left|A series of shots defining the Rafflesia's lifetime ﻿ ﻿ ﻿ Citations: "Rafflesia arnoldii in bloom" . Retrieved November 12, 2010, from http://www.lostworldarts.com/asia/rafflesia_2.htm Rafflesia arnoldii. Retrieved November 12, 2010, from http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/tropicals_and_exotics/101945 Genus Rafflesia .Retrieved November 12, 2010, from﻿ http://www.earlham.edu/~givenbe/Rafflesia/rafflesia/biodiv2.htm